The KNMI is already issuing code orange for Sunday. It will snow a lot and blow hard, which can lead to a lot of nuisance and dangerous situations. In addition, it can be slippery in the south due to ice and freezing roads.
The extreme weather warning starts night to Sunday at midnight and lasts 24 hours. The notification applies to the entire country, with the exception of Friesland, Groningen and the Wadden Islands. Code yellow applies there, also due to heavy gusts of wind.
It is expected that a cold front will hit a precipitation area above the Netherlands on Saturday evening. That means snow in the country’s northern provinces and sleet beneath the major rivers. Snow can fall 10 to 20 centimeters in the center of the country.
Snowdrift
Because the wind blows hard during snow, dangerous situations can arise on the road, so-called snowdrift. The view can be obstructed by the flakes and snowdrifts can be created by drifting snow. Moreover, because there is less traffic on the road, the salt that is sprinkled is not properly run in.
Rijkswaterstaat advises road users to postpone their journey if possible. Those who do take the road must adjust their speed, do not brake abruptly or change lanes and take into account a longer travel time.
Throughout the country, 546 gritters and 350 snow plows are deployed and three calamity machines that can remove ice shelves from the road with a salt solution of 60 degrees under high pressure. In addition, there are more road inspectors on the road, additional recovery companies are ready at strategic points and more staff work in the power stations to monitor the motorways.
Rijkswaterstaat has therefore prepared extra for the snow:
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